The Gang's All Here!

Well, after months of anticipation, and several layovers around the world, all of the Skinny Dragons have officially arrived in country!  And, as we might have expected, we encountered some of the happiest people this side of Diamond Head: our sister squadron, the VP-9 Golden Eagles.  After several days of establishing the VP-4 presence in the desert, turning over with our counterparts in every department (especially those Operations guys), Patrol Squadron FOUR has taken over the detachment and is ready to continue operating at the benchmark levels we set for ourselves during our home cycle.

Anyways, now that the boring update is finished, let’s take a peek at some of the adventures we’ve had so far on this young deployment:

There was a former Skinny Dragon sighting!  While several members of VP-4 awaited transportation into Iraq, they were surprised to see Lauren, who is now is stationed in Bahrain working with MPRA assets from around the world, especially those involved in Operation Iraqi Freedom.  Always a pleasure to see former VP-4 members leading the charge from the tip of the spear!  Here’s a quick picture of Lauren chatting outside the Dining Facility with some current Dragons:

Always nice to see familiar faces in unfamiliar places.  Great to see you Lauren, and best of luck!

Of course, how could we forget about our VP-9 brethren, or should that read “brothers”?  Handshakes, hugs, and words of encouragement were exchanged between several members of the Skinny Dragons and Golden Eagles, but nothing compared to the “family reunion” between two brothers attached to both VP-4 and VP-9.  Preston of VP-4 and David of VP-9/CMO were able to spend a little familial time together, and trade secrets about surviving a long deployment far away from the friendly confines of Hangar 104 at K-Bay.  Below is a picture of the two brothers, with David on the left and Preston on the right:

Well everyone, that’s about it for now.  Expect that the next blog will include more from our aircrews, as we officially have started executing the mission presented to us.  Many thanks again to everyone for every pat on the back, kind word, and thumbs up; we certainly can use them every once in awhile.  Thanks for stopping by!

Posted by LT Zach Boguslawski, VP-4 Public Affairs Officer

Aloha Kaneohe Bay, and Aloha...well, not K-Bay!

Well ladies and gentlemen, that time has officially come-

Starting in a VERY short time, our first set of Skinny Dragons will make their way to our deployment site, and needless to say, a mixed set of emotions is being felt throughout the entire squadron. Anxiety, fear of the unknown, excitement and nervousness are among the several feelings that each member of VP-4 has coursing through his or her veins. In our haste to get out the door, we did manage to clean ourselves up for a little "photo session":

Now THAT is what I call a good-looking set of aviators, aircrew and combat support personnel, if I may say so (and I hope everyone will agree)! This picture was taken prior to our last Safety Stand-down, where the squadron was able to gather one last time and discuss pertinent information and other topics relevant to the next 6 months of our lives. Afterwards, the VP-4 Officers Spouses Club provided a free lunch of tacos and soft drinks to the entire squadron, so a hearty "thank you" goes out to the entire OSC for the delicious meal and the well wishes prior to our leaving.

In short, as the title says, we soon will bid Aloha to our fair duty station here on Oahu, and will bid a cheery (ok, maybe not THAT cheery) Aloha to a different version of the sand we so love here on the island. Good luck Skinny Dragons and we'll see you at the "tip of the spear!"

Posted by LT Zach Boguslawski, VP-4 Public Affairs Officer